McLean Community Center Reveals Scholarship Winners — “The Alden Theatre of the McLean Community Center has announced award recipients in its annual James C. Macdonald Performing Arts Scholarship Competition, held recently.” [Inside NoVa]
Power Surge Last Tuesday in Vienna — “Any residents who experienced a power surge shortly after midnight on July 2 may file a claim for damaged electrical appliances by calling 1-866-DOM-HELP” [Town of Vienna]
Software Company NowSecure Inc. Raised $15 Million for Expansion — “It has a total of 60 employees across its Tysons, Chicago and Seattle offices, but it plans to hire about 30 more people over the coming months, said CEO Alan Snyder, who added the Tysons office is its largest and that the company is already looking for larger space in the area.” [Washington Business Journal]
Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax Leaves McLean Law Firm — “Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax has resigned his position at a McLean law firm, six months after he was placed on paid administrative leave following past sexual assault allegations. In a statement, Fairfax said the firm, Morrison and Foerster, investigated the allegations and found ‘no hint of wrongdoing.'” [Inside NoVa]
Crash Closed Falls Church Road –– On July 6 (Saturday) Magarity Road was closed at LaSalle Avenue due to a traffic crash involving a utility pole. The road reopened later that same day. [Fairfax County Police/Twitter]
Banks Coming Soon to Tysons — Great Falls-based Trustar Bank is looking to open a commercial lending office at 1650 Tysons Blvd in McLean, while VisionBank aims to open in Tysons later this year. Meanwhile, Tysons-based Old Dominion National Bank “has cleared $350 million in assets, is on track for $10 million in revenue in 2019, and will hit profitability toward the end of the year.” [WBJ, WBJ, WBJ]
The Vienna Town Council rejected the rezoning for the Sunrise Senior Living Facility proposed for downtown Vienna.
The senior facility had previously faced a myriad of concerns around its parking, retail space and location at the corner of Maple Avenue and Center Street — although a staff presentation prior to the vote on June 17 demonstrated new changes meant to quell some of the issues.
According to a staff presentation, Sunrise reduced the maximum number of residents from 115 to 108, plans to determine the final locations for the bike racks during the site plan approval and added a proffer to secure at least 12 off-site parking spaces for employees — a move meant to address concerns about the project lacking enough parking.
“The intention is not to take from street parking,” Jerry Liang, the senior vice president of development for Sunrise, told the Town Council. “Rather this is Sunrise proffering to enter into an agreement with a property owner somewhere in the area for 12 spaces that employees will be able to utilize… and to handle overflow situations.”
Liang said that they would look away from the center of town that could be reached via a shuttle.
The new proffer seemed to satisfy Councilmember Linda Colbert’s and outgoing Councilmember Tara Bloch’s concerns about parking, leading Bloch to put forward a motion to approve the project.
Before the vote, several other councilmembers voiced issues with the project, and Councilmember Pasha Majdi noted that because of a protest petition, the motion would require five “yes” votes in order to pass.
“I’d hate to see it fail tonight,” Majdi said before the vote. “I’d like to see it be successful. I don’t know how it’s going to go.”
Despite Majdi’s suggestion that the council table the project, Bloch pushed forward the vote to approve the rezoning, which ultimately failed with a 3-4 vote.
Mayor Laurie DiRocco, Majdi, Howard Springsteen and Douglas Noble voted no. Bloch, Colbert and outgoing councilmember Carey Sienicki voted yes.
Rendering via Town of Vienna
(Updated at 1:20 p.m.) A crash at the intersection of Dolley Madison Blvd (Route 123) and Great Falls Street has closed southbound Great Falls Street in McLean.
Police told Tysons Reporter that four cars were involved and that one car hit three other cars. Police said that there are no serious injuries.
Drivers can expect Great Falls Street to be blocked for another 20 to 30 minutes because there’s no good place on that street for cars to pull off, police said.
Around 1:10 p.m. today (July 3), traffic was slow moving along Dolley Madison Blvd near the accident, according to traffic maps.
Map via Google Maps
A building fire in Falls Church ended up sending one firefighter to the hospital yesterday (Tuesday).
The fire broke out around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday (July 2) in the 7400 block of Lee Highway, according to a Fairfax County Fire and Rescue tweet.
The accidental fire that started in the attic area by the chimney stack was discovered after the fire sprinkler system and fire alarm went off, the tweet said.
One firefighter was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
The fire caused $2,500 worth of damages, according to the fire department.
Map via Google Maps, photos via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/Twitter
After voting a little more than two weeks ago to approve plans to redevelop 380 Maple Avenue, the Vienna Town Council has decided to hold a public hearing on possibly rescinding the rezoning application.
Back in May, the Town Council delayed voting on the proposed project after a resident questioned if the town had notified Fairfax County about the proposed rezoning, which the town hadn’t, and then again at the beginning of June to allow residents and the developer more time to try to reach a consensus through a mediation process.
The Town Council approved the redevelopment, which would add a mixed-use, four-floor building with ground floor retail and more than three dozen multi-family residential condominium units, during its June 17 meeting.
At the latest meeting on Monday (July 1), Town Manager Mercury Payton said that Councilmembers Howard Springsteen and Pasha Majdi requested in late June that a motion to rescind the rezoning application be placed on the agenda for the Monday meeting.
During the Town Council’s meeting Monday night, Majdi shared some of the underlying reasons to revisit the project and, instead of having a motion to rescind, Majdi suggested a joint public hearing with the Planning Commission to review the issues.
“For the rezoning application, I think there were some mistakes made, and I think there are some changes in circumstances we need to recognize,” Majdi said.
First, Majdi said that there was an open question about whether Fairfax County ever received proper notification about the rezoning in a timely fashion. Additionally, Majdi said that safety concerns about the narrowing of Wade Hampton Drive and a new state law about proffers for rezoning applications as reasons for considering rescindment.
“Proffers are probably the most important of a rezoning application,” Majdi said. “The proffer law has changed effective today [July 1].”
The council voted 5-2 — with Mayor Laurie DiRocco and Councilmember Linda Colbert voting no — to hold the public hearing on Monday, July 15.
The meeting on Monday also saw two newcomers sworn onto the council — local small business owner Nisha Patel and Steve Potter, who is a founding member of the Vienna Citizens for Responsible Development.
Photo via Town of Vienna Planning and Zoning
More than 600 residents in McLean are without power after a tree fell on the power lines.
The Dominion Energy map shows about a power outage in the western portion of McLean encompassing the area around and including Lewinsville Park as of 8:45 a.m. today (July 3). The outage is affecting 638 customers.
Dominion has crews dispatched to the area and expects that power will be restored later today between 2-9 p.m.
Map via Dominion Energy
As thunderstorms roll through northeastern Fairfax County today (Tuesday), more than 1,000 residents in the Town of Vienna are without power.
The Dominion Energy map shows about a dozen power outages in the Town of Vienna spanning from Maple Avenue to I-66 as of 4:50 p.m. today (July 2) totaling 1,148 affected customers.
Dominion expects that power will be restored later tonight between 6-11 p.m.
Map via Dominion Energy
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect for McLean.
The watch is in effect until 5:15 p.m. today (Tuesday) and covers northeastern Fairfax County.
The National Weather Service issued the alert around 4:38 p.m.
More from NWS:
At 438 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Lowes Island, moving southeast at 25 mph.
HAZARD…60 mph wind gusts.
SOURCE…Radar indicated.
IMPACT…Damaging winds will cause some trees and large branches to fall. This could injure those outdoors, as well as damage homes and vehicles. Roadways may become blocked by downed trees. Localized power outages are possible. Unsecured light objects may become projectiles.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Rockville MD, Bethesda MD, McLean VA until 5:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/N5xOrAcWh4
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) July 2, 2019
(Updated at 3:35 p.m.) Independence Day is Thursday, and Fairfax County has some safety tips for people ahead of the festivities.
For fans of fireworks, Fairfax County is explicit on what is allowed:
Unless expressly approved by the County Fire Marshal in the form of a Fire Prevention Code Permit (FPCP), the exploding, igniting, and use of fireworks is strictly prohibited in Fairfax County and the towns of Clifton, Herndon, and Vienna. However, the supervised use of permissible fireworks on private property with the consent of the owner of such property is allowed, and a permit is not required
Permissible fireworks — consumer fireworks legally allowed for sale and use in the county — include sparklers, fountains, Pharaoh’s serpents, caps for pistols or pinwheels — whirligigs or spinning jennies. You’ll need a permit if you want fireworks or pyrotechnic displays.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue has some tips for pet and human safety around fireworks.
They include:
- adults should supervisor minors around permissible fireworks
- when using permissible fireworks, place the device on a flat surface at least 50 feet away from any combustible materials and buildings
- never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have malfunctioned
- keep a bucket of water or hose handy in case of a fire
- light fireworks one at a time after reading the directions
- leave pets at home during a fireworks display
- never shoot, point or throw fireworks in the direction of a human or pet
Last Friday (June 28), the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s Fire Marshal’s Office highlighted the harm and damage fireworks can cause with a video from a press conference that shows a fire starting after several explosions.
According to @NFPA, Fireworks start an average of 18,500 fires per year, including 1,300 structure fires, 300 vehicle fires, and 16,900 outside/other fires. Caused average of 3 deaths, 40 civilian injuries, and an average of $43 million in property damage. https://t.co/lmgCKEKCD1
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) July 2, 2019
Tragedy can strike w/in seconds when fireworks are not properly and safely used. Thousands of people are injured each year in U.S. due to fireworks. Consider the following safety tips when using permissible fireworks: https://t.co/W3y9Y1wO4W #SafeFairfax pic.twitter.com/0zCJAOUcaw
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) July 2, 2019
“People nowadays don’t want to believe in this stuff,” Al Tyas, a retired local ghost hunter and published author, recently told Tysons Reporter. And by “stuff,” Tyas means ghosts.
Tyas recently published his second book “Project Rabbit Hole.” The book delves into how and why people have a fascination with ghosts “now more than ever before,” as Tyas put it — thanks in part to increasing pop culture references.
Originally from Rhode Island, Tyas said that he saw his first ghost when he was 7 while at an amusement park. He moved to Falls Church in 2007 and now lives in Alexandria.
After moving to the D.C. area, he joined a paranormal ghost group — “at first it was cute” — and then five years later, he branched off and made his own group, DC Metro Area Ghost Watchers.
In the height of his ghost hunting days, Tyas said he would conduct two investigations per week — everything from people claiming they were possessed to reports of strange noises or occurrences in people’s homes.
Eventually, Tyas handed off his group to another person after the experiences got “darker and darker” and he noticed his and fellow ghost hunters’ health start to decline.
What are ghosts? “Ghosts are demented, dysfunctional beings that died before their time and at the height of their lives,” he said, adding that the ghost might not even know that they are dead.
Most people think they have a ghost when they feel cold spots, hear a voice or notice that objects are missing, he said. Yet Tyas said that he approached investigations at first with skepticism, since some people claim to see ghosts for short-term fame and attention.
“Not everything people see or experience are ghosts,” he said.
This isn’t Tyas’ first time writing a book. He published “Last Call on the Potomac” — a book about D.C. area ghost stories — in 2006.
For his new book, Tyas drew on his personal experiences as a retired paranormal investigator, research and interviews for an in-depth look at the “supernatural family” — from ghosts to aliens. The paperback book costs $17 on Lulu.
Last year, Tyas headed down to New Orleans to do research on how people have interacted with supernatural beings throughout history. In his research, he noted that changes starting with the Fox sisters, who became mediums in the 1850s but later admitted to faking some parts of their seances.
“In past historical time periods, people avoided or took precautions. Now, we’re trying to make contact,” he said. “It’s getting dangerous.”
For people looking for ghosts, Tyas shared some words of warning.
“[Ghosts] always appear when you least expect them to,” Tyas said, adding that they tend to pick the weakest person to bother.
Ultimately, Tyas said that coexistence is the goal and that people should leave supernatural beings alone.
As for skeptics? “I say, ‘More power to them,'” Tyas said.
Photo via Lulu.com
